Golf Roundup : Rookie Elkington Has 63 and Shares Colonial Lead

Rookie Steve Elkington took advantage of near-perfect conditions Saturday to shoot a seven-under-par 63 that lifted him into a tie with Chip Beck and Scott Simpson for the second-round lead in the $600,000 Colonial National Invitation golf tournament at Fort Worth.

“I haven’t been here before,” said Elkington, a 25-year-old Australian living in Houston. He has had only one finish above 20th.

“I don’t have much experience, but I’m going to get in there and give it a try,” Elkington said, looking ahead to today’s 36-hole windup of the storm-disrupted tournament.

The double-round finish was set up after Friday’s play was washed out by thunderstorms that dumped more than four inches of rain on Colonial Country Club course.

But the course, which was under water on Friday, drained well and grounds personnel quickly restored it to playable condition.

“The golf course is like it didn’t rain,” said Beck, who shot a 67 and was tied at 133 with Elkington and Simpson, who had a 66 in the warm, muggy weather.

First-round leader Bill Rogers had a 69 and was tied with Doug Tewell and Curtis Strange at 134. Mark Lye was at 135.

Tewell, Strange and Lye each shot 66s as the absence of wind contributed to the exceptionally low scores.

Colleen Walker, a nonwinner in five years on the LPGA Tour, shot a three-under-par 70 and opened a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the $225,000 Chrysler-Plymouth tournament at Middletown, N.J.

Walker’s two-round total of 142 was only four shots under par. She was one of only six players to break par for two rounds.

Margaret Ward, another nonwinner whose best finish this year has been a tie for 28th, was among four players tied for second after shooting a 70. The group included first-round leader Ayako Okamoto (74) of Japan, Sally Little (72) and Tammie Green (73).

Lee Elder birdied the last three holes to take a four-shot lead over Dale Douglass after two rounds of the $225,000 United Hospitals Seniors tournament at Malvern, Pa.

Elder, who trailed by three strokes after the first round, shot a four-under-par 66 for a 36-hole score of 133 on the 6,406-yard, par-70 Chester Valley Country Club course.

Douglass, who opened with a 64, shot a 73. Defending champion Gary Player was next at 138.

Nick Faldo of England and Hugh Baiocchi of South Africa shared the lead with scores of 214 after 54 holes in the $284,950 Spanish Open at Marbella.

Faldo shot 71, and Baiocchi had a 72 on the 6,198-yard Las Brisas course. Severiano Ballesteros of Spain was third at 216 after a 74.